
Bring the Elders Their Ice Cream
During the last six weeks of his life on this earth, I brought my Baba all the ice cream that he wanted. One night in mid-May during an important discussion with Baba, a man I grew to see as my father over the last decade, Joey (another member of my queer family of choice in recovery) brought home Dairy Queen Blizzards and sundaes. I saw Baba’s face light up as he ate this precious Blizzard from Dairy Queen as if it were sacred manna from heaven. Strawberry Banana manna to be specific. He polished it off and then threw it into the wastepaper basket by his reclining chair with dramatic flourish. Not just a Dairy Queen, a drama queen to boot!